Excavation machines are often equipped with sensors for measuring various operating conditions of the machines. These operating conditions can include, for example, engine RPM, oil pressure, water temperature, boost pressure, oil contamination levels, electric motor current, hydraulic pressures, system voltage, fuel consumption, payload, ground speed, transmission ratio, cycle time, global position, and the like. A data acquisition system can be provided on each machine for receiving the operating conditions, processing data, and generating an operating condition database for subsequent evaluation of machine performance.
One such data acquisition system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0267713 (the '713 publication) by Horkavi et al. published Dec. 1, 2005. Specifically, the '713 publication discloses a data acquisition system for a work machine that has at least one sensor disposed on the work machine. The at least one sensor is configured to produce a signal indicative of an operating parameter of the work machine. The data acquisition system also has an identification module disposed on the work machine and configured to receive an input corresponding to a machine operator. The data acquisition system further has a controller disposed on the work machine and in communication with the at least one sensor and the identification module. The controller is configured to record and link the signal and the input. The data acquisition system additional has a communication module disposed on the work machine and in communication with the controller. The communication module is configured to transfer the recorded and linked signal and input from the controller to an off-board system.
In one example, the sensor of the '713 publication is associated with a power source and a work implement to generate signals indicative of fuel consumption and payload. The fuel consumption and payload information is directed to the controller, which indexes the information according to the operator controlling the work machine at the time the information is recorded. The controller also generates and maintains a time of day and date associated with the recorded information. In this manner, post-processing of the recorded and indexed information may be performed to determine how performance of the work machine varied during a particular work shift according to the operator that was controlling the machine.
Although the data acquisition system of the '713 publication may record and post-process some machine performance parameters, the usefulness of the information generated by the system may be limited. That is, the data is only indexed according to operator identification and/or time, and other important indexing parameters such as cycle segmentation may be neglected.
The disclosed system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.